Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    evil is one which aflbrcls good ground for complaint, and a necessity for imme- diate remedy. 20. The portion of the sewer alluded to was built with a reverse slope towards the land, under the impression that the sea water would flow in during a part of the day and wash the drain, hut experience has proved the supposi- tion erroneous. The drain cannot he left open for the admittance of the sea water, as in that case, the sand enters with it, and chokes the passage—the only effect being that a reservoir is formed, in which a vast quantity of sewage is collected. The sewer is never emptied, and the fluid when discharged ap- pears, in consequence, to be far more offensive than it otherwise would be. This seems a natural result of such a body of sewage remaining to decompose throughout the day; and the comparatively inoffensive discharge from the northern drain which has no reverse slope, confirms us in our belief that it is so. 21. The remedy for this would be to raise the floor of the sewer to such a direct slope as the levels will admit of; which in the opinion of the Com- mittee would not diminish the capacity of the drain so as to reduce its efficiency. The Committee would finally recommend that the temporary improvement just noted be immediately made, and enquiries instituted as to the best means of procuring and distributing a supply of fresh water for the use of the town at the rate of 5,000 to 7,000 cubic yards per diem. J. T. SMITH, Major, \ FRED. COTTON, \Engineers. G. C. COLLYER, Bt. Captain. ) Fobt St. Geoeoe, J 9th Fell/. 1852. i